Stigma of Mental Illness

There is a great deal of stigma surrounding mental illness in modern society. There are many people who hold beliefs about those dealing with mental illness that are misconceived. They include the belief that mentally ill people are often violent offenders. The media sensationalizes cases in which mentally ill people are violent. This media sensationalization includes movies and news stories. There are far fewer stories of people who have successfully recovered from mental illness. This bias in the media promotes a bias in how mental illness is perceived.

The effects of stigma go beyond discrimination. There is also such a thing as self stigma. Self stigma is when a person who holds misconceptions about themselves. This is often times true of people dealing with mental illness. Often times people who are dealing with mental illness do not seek treatment because they feel as if their problem does not warrant treatment. Self stigma is often times damaging to a person's self esteem. There are ways to combat self stigma. They include positive self talk, engaging with peers and getting involved with the mental health cause.